The Star (1952)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Stuart Heisler

Writers:

Dale Eunson (screenplay) and
Katherine Albert (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 December 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The story of a woman...who thought she was a star so high in the sky no man could touch her!

Plot:

A washed-up movie queen finds romance, but still desires a come-back.

Plot Keywords:

Career | Hollywood | Screen Test | Shipyard | Actor

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Bette Davis	...	Margaret Elliot
Sterling Hayden	...	Jim Johannson aka Barry Lester
Natalie Wood	...	Gretchen
Warner Anderson	...	Harry Stone
Minor Watson	...	Joe Morrison
June Travis	...	Phyllis Stone
Paul Frees	...	Richard Stanley
Robert Warrick	...	R.J., Aging Actor at Party
Barbara Lawrence	...	Herself
Fay Baker	...	Margaret's sister
Herb Vigran	...	Roy

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved | UK:A (original rating) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Bert E. Friedlob Productions

Trivia:

Fox starlet Barbara Lawrence's presence is felt even though her actual screen time is brief. Besides her fleeting cameo appearance, she is referred to at least five other times as the young nemesis to Bette Davis' aging star. She is mentioned as an up-and-coming prospect by an agent, a drunken Davis drives by her house in a mock tour of stars' homes, her image appears in a drugstore ad that confronts Davis, Davis stops to stare at a huge portrait of Lawrence before entering her prospective producer's office, and she spitefully uses Lawrence's vacant dressing room to change alter her make-up before her screen test. For added Hollywood verisimilitude, references are made to other contemporaneous Fox stars including Victor Mature, Debra Paget, Mitzi Gaynor, and Jeanne Crain. Curiously there is a reference to an actor named Ralph Bellows, who's playing the rich, stuffy second lead. This is an obvious reference to the screen persona of Ralph Bellamy, who was not under contract to Fox at the time.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: Late in the movie there is a scene at the home of Harry Stone, Margaret's agent. As he is telling his wife, Phyllis, about the poor results of Margaret's screen test, the two are walking through the house. The shadow of the boom mic can be seen on the wall behind them as they are walking.

Quotes:

Margaret Elliott: Haven't you ever cried because you're happy?
Gretchen: No.
Margaret Elliott: Well, you see, some people cry when they're happy and laugh when they're mad.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "This Is Your Life: Bette Davis" (1971)

Solid Good Stuff

The story of a washed up and penniless movie actress who doesn't want to give up her hope of making a comeback. The critics hated it, but I knew I would love it, and sure enough, it was one of the best films I have ever seen, simple, unpretentious, human-scale, full of compassion, eloquence and BEAUTY. This is one of the most BEAUTIFUL films ever made, visually ravishing in its simple and unobtrusive way. It instantly draws you in. The camera is warm and friendly. It doesn't browbeat you.

Unlike "Sunset Boulevard", this film does not put on artistic garb, but it triumphs as a work of art. The story, though similar, is far more interesting. In Sunset Boulevard the faded star is wealthy, and money is no object. That impoverishes the plot. Movies about the rich are invariably poor.

It is most sad that such wonderful films are almost never shown. This is one of Davis' best films and performances. Several scenes are memorable. Davis' sister remarks, she can't imagine where all the money went. Davis is justifiably furious at such ingratitude, and throws her out of her room, after reminding her that she spent countless thousands helping her. In another scene Bette has been talked into giving up "chasing rainbows" and works as a sales clerk at a department store. Two elderly women recognize her, and she overhears one of them say: "What a disgrace they hired a jailbird". Davis loses her temper and quits yelling: "The disgrace is that I am waiting on two old bags like you!!!".

Although Davis has her flaws, you have to give her credit for selecting so many good films. There are many famous actors who do not have a single solid film to their credit.